Since the popularity of the microwave oven, people have been trying to develop a reliable microwave incorporated into a vending machine. Most attempts such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,398,651 to Kumpter and 3,620,341 to Gardner disclose microwave ovens with multiple openings cut therein. These patents teach the use of multiple openings for efficient article handling. Every additional opening cut into a microwave oven decreases its reliability in containing radiation leaks.
Applicant's invention overcomes these short comings of the prior art in part by using a single door microwave oven thus ensuring radiation leak integrity.